Michigan Vamp

My Old License Plate

Eccentric Night Owl

Quote from Blood Read

"An ambiguously coded figure, a source of both erotic anxiety and corrupt desire, the literary vampire is one of the most powerful archetypes bequeathed to us from the imagination of the nineteenth century."~ page 2 introduction to Blood Read: The Vampire as Metaphor in Contemporary Culture

Intellectual Vampire Quote

"If the vampire is an other, he or she was always a figure in whom one could find one's self...the despicable as well as the defiant, the shameful as well as the unashamed, the loathing of oddness as well as pride in it."~ Richard Dyer

Chef Ivy Turin is great with food, but not so good with men. When a mysterious vendor gifts her with a jade necklace guaranteed to find true love, she is skeptical. But no sooner does she put on the necklace then star football player, Sam Rockney, walks into her restaurant. Athletic, intelligent, not to mention drop dead gorgeous, Sam seems like the perfect man for her. Too perfect. Is the sexy Seattle quarterback for real, or is there something wrong with Mr. Perfect?

Chapter OneSeattle, Washington, July, 2013“Have you noticed nobody holds hands anymore?” Chef Ivy Turin picked up a tomato from the pile of neatly displayed produce at Pike Street Market. “It was my favorite part of dating in high school. There was no PDA allowed in the halls, but my boyfriend would sneak up next to me and slip his fingers through mine. That simple little gesture made me feel special.”Beth, her sous chef, eyed her with sarcastic amusement. “You are special.”Ivy selected several more tomatoes and put them in the cloth grocery bag. Handing the items to the cashier, she fished money from her pocket. “Me? You’re as jaded as the necklaces in the next stall.”“I’m jaded? You’re the one who hasn’t had a date since you dumped Kevin,” Beth said, examining an odd-looking fiddlehead fern. “Although I suppose I can’t blame you for being cautious after what he did to you. Stealing from the restaurant to cover his gambling debt was beyond wrong, but there are good guys out there.” “I’m well aware of that,” Ivy said, accepting the change from the cashier. Although nine months had passed since the breakup, Kevin’s betrayal still stung. It wasn’t as much about the money he embezzled. It was the deceit it was predicated upon.“I realize it’s cliché but you need to forget about him and move on. Maybe you could start with your perfect high school boyfriend,” Beth said, moving to the next stall. “He might be available.”“Are you searching for the perfect man?” the jade vendor behind the counter asked. He had an Australian accent and pale grey eyes disconcerting in their intensity.Beth pointed at Ivy. “Her, not me. She’s—well, she used to be—a hopeless romantic.”The vendor gave Ivy a speculative look before lifting up a simple silver chain with a green jade amulet hanging from it. “If you truly want to find this elusive perfect man, and restore your faith in true love, this necklace will be your good luck talisman.” He tried to hand it to Ivy. She refused. “It’s beautiful—”Leaning forward, he clasped her wrist and pressed the necklace into her palm. “It’s a gift.”Ivy expected the jade to be cool to the touch, It heated her skin, sending an unexpected jolt of energy throughout her body. Pulling away, she dismissed the unusual sensation as a consequence of the double espresso she’d recently finished. All of this talk of magic was giving her the creeps.“I couldn’t. It’s too much.” She tried to pass it back. He merely grinned.“The first step to finding true love is acceptance,” he said, winking at Beth. “Take the necklace. Wear it with hope in your heart, and when you find the perfect man, everything will become clear.”

About the Author:

To Sherri, the only thing better than reading a good book is writing one. She penned her first novel at seventeen and although she inevitably graduated to a keyboard, she is still creating stories full of adventure, romance, and humor. In addition to writing, she designs her own book covers.